FEBRUARY Poetry Contests

Arranged by deadline, then alphabetically; deadlines in red denote "received by" rather than "postmarked by." Not responsible for out-of-date or incorrect information; write, call, e-mail or check websites for current guidelines.

February 1 Deadlines

2/1/10 Devil’s Kitchen Reading Awards Prize: $1,000 and reading Fee: $15 to SIUC—Dept. of English

Devil’s Kitchen Reading Awards/GRASSROOTS
Dept. of English, Mail Code 4503
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
1000 Faner Drive
Carbondale, IL  629010

grassrootsmag@gmail.com
618-453-6833
Judge: MFA faculty
Notify: May
Published book: One book of poetry and one book of prose (novel, short fiction, or literary nonfiction) will be selected from submissions of titles published in the preceding year, and the winning authors will receive an honorarium of $1000 and will present a public reading and participate in panels at the Devil’s Kitchen Fall Literary Festival at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. Travel and accommodations will be provided for the two winners. Entries may be submitted by either author or publisher, and must include a copy of the book, a cover letter, a brief biography of the author including previous publications, and a $15 entry fee made out to “SIUC—Dept. of English.” Entries must be postmarked January 1–February 1. Materials postmarked after February 1 will be returned unopened. All entries will become the property of the SIUC Department of English. Entrants wishing acknowledgment of receipt must include SASP. Judges will come from the faculty of SIUC’s MFA Program in Creative Writing and the award winners will be selected by the staff of GRASSROOTS. The winners will be notified in May. All entrants will be notified of the results in September. The awards are open to single-author, full-length titles published by independent, university, or commercial publishers. The winners must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and must agree to attend and participate in the Devil’s Kitchen Fall Literary Festival to receive the award. Entries from vanity presses and self-published books are not eligible. Current students and employees at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and authors published by Southern Illinois University Press are not eligible.
http://grassroots.siuc.edu/dkawards.html

2/1/10 Rita Dove Poetry Award Prize: $1,200, (2x)$150, reading Fee: $15 to Salem College International Literary Awards
Amy Knox Brown, Director
Salem College Center for Women Writers
601 South Church Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
  Judge: Leslie Adrienne Miller
Notify: May 15
Poems: for a poem up to 100 lines (up to 2 poems per submission, any style). The winner in each genre will receive $1,200 plus round trip travel and lodging for a reading of his/her work at Salem College. The two honorable mentions named in each genre will receive $150. Competitions are open to anyone living in the U.S. and writing in English except Salem Academy & College employees and students. All submissions must be unpublished. The author's name and address must not appear on the manuscript. Entrants must satisfy all of the following requirements when entering the competition: three clean typed copies of your manuscript, an optional SASE for notification of winners, one cover sheet with your name, address, telephone, e-mail, the genre you are submitting (fiction, nonfiction or poetry), word count (for nonfiction and fiction) / line count (for poetry), and the title(s) of the work(s), and a check for the $15 reading fee, per submission, made out to the Salem College International Literary Awards.
http://www.salem.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1854&Itemid=1341

2/1/10 William R. Espy Literary Foundation Residency Prizes: residency Fee: $20 to The Espy Foundation

Willard R. Espy Literary Foundation
PO Box 614
Oysterville, WA 98641


Judge:  
Notify: 3–4 weeks

Poems: Residencies are available for the months of February, June, and October from the 1st through the end of the month inclusive. Writers will share accommodations in bay-view cottages in the serenely beautiful village of Oysterville and will receive a weekly stipend for food. Our goal is to provide writers with an environment in which they can pursue their work without interruption. A suitable applicant is a writer who has demonstrated talent and commitment to his or her career. Both emerging and established poets, fiction writers, creative non-fiction writers, playwrights, and screen writers are eligible for the residencies. People of some self-sufficiency are our ideal. Applicants may not be current board members, advisory board members, staff or consultants for the Espy Foundation, or their immediate family members. Residents are expected to provide their own transportation to and from Oysterville, which is 180 miles from Seattle and 120 miles from Portland, and they are encouraged to keep a car with them for the duration of the residency. Deadline for application: November 1 for the FEBRUARY Residency, March 1 for the JUNE Residency, July 1 for the OCTOBER Residency. Applications must include the enclosed application form and all required materials specified in the form. Applications and Sponsors' Letters must be postmarked on or before the deadlines. (Sponsors' Letters are acceptable by fax to (360) 665-5224 if received by the deadline. A non-refundable fee of $20, made payable to The Willard R. Espy Literary Foundation, must be included with your application form, project description, and work samples. The two sponsors’ letters should be sent directly to the Foundation at the above address by the sponsor writing the letter. You will be notified by mail of the panel’s decision approx. three to four weeks after the deadline.

http://www.espyfoundation.org/residents/index.html

2/1/10 Gannon University High School Poetry Contest Prize: $100, $75, $50, reading Fee: none
Berwyn Moore
attn: High School Poetry Contest
Gannon University
109 University Square
Erie, PA 16541
  Judge:
Notify: April 16
Poems: High school students in grades 9 through 12 are invited to participate in the English Department's 31st Annual High School Poetry Contest. Your original poetry. Type each entry separately on plain white paper. Include your name, home address, and phone numbers in upper left corner. Include high school name, address of high school, your grade, and teacher's name in upper right corner. Send 1 to 3 poems (Do not send your only copies). Poems will not be returned.
http://www.gannon.edu/departmental/english/poetry.asp

2/1/10 Muse Prize for Excellence in Poetry Prizes: $200, $100, $75 Fee: $6 to WFOP Literary Fund
WFOP/Rafal
P.O. Box 340
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202
  Judges:
Notify: April 22
Poems: Wisconsin poets. First Prize $200 and trophy; Second Prize $100; Third Prize $75. Contest opens December 1. For rules and entry form see site or send an SASE.
http://wfop.org/muserule.html

2/1/10 Paterson Poetry Prize Prize: $1,000 and publication Fee: none
Maria Mazziotti Gillan, Director
Poetry Center
Passaic County Community College
One College Boulevard
Paterson, NJ 07505-1179
  Judge:
Notify:
Published book: For a book of poems, 48 pages or more in length, selected by our judges as the strongest collection of poems published in the previous year. The poet will be asked to participate in an awards ceremony and to give a reading at the Poetry Center. Minimum press run: 500 copies. Each book submitted must be accompanied by an application form. Publisher may submit more than one book for prize consideration. Three copies of each book should be submitted. Books entered in the competition will be donated to the Poetry Center Library at Passaic County Community College. Books must be received in the Poetry Center by February 1 to be considered for the prize. Books cannot be returned. For a list of winners, include an SASE labeled: "Paterson Poetry Prize". Winners will be announced in Poets & Writers and on the website.
http://old.pccc.edu/poetry/Prize/index.html

2/1/10 Potomac Review Poetry Contest Prizes: $1,000, $250, and publication Fee: $20 to Montgomery College/Potomac Review
Potomac Review
Montgomery College
51 Mannakee Street, MT/212
Rockville, MD 20850
Please direct all contest questions to the Managing Editor:
wgrofic@yahoo.com
Judge:
Notify: February 15
Poems: Biennial contest. Send up to 3 poems (up to 6 pages) along with $20 reading fee payable to Montgomery College/Potomac Review. All entrants will receive a one-year (2 issues) subscription to the Potomac Review. Put author's name and address on the cover letter only. Include a cover letter (including contact info and names of poems), and a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) for contest results. Entries will not be returned. All poems must be typed and previously unpublished; no name or address should appear on the poems themselves. Online submissions are accepted by submitting under the genre "contest," although your entry fee will still have to be received through the mail. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable, but please note this in your cover letter and notify us immediately of acceptance elsewhere. The winning poem will appear in the upcoming issue of Potomac Review. The second place poem will be published on the website. Semifinalists will be listed on the website and considered for online and print publication. Manuscripts that do not follow contest guidelines will be disqualified.
http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/potomacreview/poetry-contest-announce-fall-09.html

2/1/10 Racquetball Chapbook Tournament Prize: Chapbook and anthology publication Fee: $10 at tournament

Racquetball Chapbook Tournament
c/o Nicholas Michael Ravnikar
607 1/2 Sixth Street
Racine, WI 53403

You can email your submission materials as .doc attachments to racquetballchapbooks@gmail.com. Judge: athletic contest
Notify: April 10
Chapbook manuscript: Tired of myriad chapbook contests whose winners are determined by their works’ literary merit? Are your poems being rejected for publication because editors deem them unfit to print? Would you prefer your chapbook published because you displayed a level of athletic prowess and competitive determination that in no way signifies your achievements as a writer? Are you a writer who wants an excuse to learn to play racquetball? Or a racquetball player seeking incentive for sitting down to write your first short collection of poems? Then consider entering the Racquetball Chapbook Tournament. In order to get your chapbook published, you just have to be the champion of our racquetball tournament. A singles racquetball tournament will take place at Racine YMCA on April 10th, 2010. Play will commence at 9 a.m. and continue until a winner has been determined by sound victory, concession or bare-knuckle brawl.

Each contestant’s entry fee will fund the publication of 100 copies of the winner’s manuscript, plus publication of a one-off anthology, featuring a selection of work from all entrants, along with the tournament rankings. Both publications will also be available as free downloads online a few weeks following the release.

The first-place winner of the tournament will receive ten copies of their hand-bound chapbook. All contenders for the prize will each receive a copy of the winning chapbook, along with a copy of the hand-bound keepsake anthology.

Remaining copies will be available for purchase at cost by contestants before going to auction on eBay, where they will no doubt command exorbitant bidding wars, due to their lavish quality and historic value as literary artifacts. Racquetball press also hopes to present a goodie-bag for all participants. If you have broadsides, postcards, promotional material or other ephemera you’d like to offer for inclusion in the gift-bag, please send them with your submission. Only individuals having submitted all materials to the competition organizers will be eligible to play in the tournament. All contestants must pay their entrance fee on the morning of the competition (see below).

Complete submissions to the tournament must include: 16-30 page manuscript of any type of writing and completed tournament entrance form. Submissions must be received by February 1, 2010. E-mail your submission materials as .doc attachments to racquetballchapbooks@gmail.com, or mail completed submission materials in a large manila envelope. We will send an e-mail confirmation once your submission has been received. If you do not hear from us within a week of sending your submission, please send us an e-mail. We’ll also be sending out a monthly e-mail to all contestants following their submission, which will include reminders, training and conditioning tips, driving directions, and other updates.

A non-refundable 10 dollar tournament entrance fee (money order, cash or check) must be paid on the day of the tournament in order to compete. All styles, genres and schools of writing are encouraged to apply. Selection of the winning manuscript will be based solely on tournament rankings and will disregard literary merit entirely. We promise. There will also be an informal salon reading in the evening at a local bar/café/apartment (TBA), where participants (and their groupies) can hock or trade their wares with others.

http://racquetballchapbooktournament.wordpress.com/

2/1/10 Washington Square Award Prize: $500 and publication Fee: $10 to New York University

Washington Square Award
Creative Writing Program
New York University
Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House
58 West 10th St.
New York, NY 10011

  Judge: Matthew Zapruder
Notify: spring
Poems: Winners (one in fiction and one in poetry) receive $500 and publication in a forthcoming issue of Washington Square. Selected runners-up may also receive publication. The judges for this year's award are Darin Strauss for fiction and Matthew Zapruder for poetry. Submit up to three poems (six pages total) or one short story (up to twenty pages). Include cover sheet with name and title of work(s) submitted, address, email, and phone. Do not put your name on individual pages of the manuscript. Multiple entries require separate reading fees. Include SASE (not required) for list of winners. Winners will be notified by phone or e-mail. Please indicate on the envelope if the submission is poetry or fiction.
http://www.washingtonsquarereview.com/washington_Square_Award.html

2/1/10 Washington Square Collaboration Award Prize: $500 and publication Fee: $10 to New York University

Collaboration Award
Creative Writing Program
New York University
Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House
58 West 10th St.
New York, NY 10011

  Judge: Anne Carson
Notify: spring
Poems: The winning collaborative team receives $500 and publication in a forthcoming issue of Washington Square and/or on the website, depending on the medium of the selected work. Selected runners-up may also receive publication. The judges for this year's award is Anne Carson. Submit one collaborative project (two or more creators). Some portion, or the entirety, of the work must include creative writing (fiction or poetry). Inclusion of visual art, music, graphic design, video, translation, and/or exquisite corpse is welcome. No more than fifteen pages of writing, or seven minutes of viewing or listening time. If sending images, each image should be under 500KB, sent as jpg on disc. Do not send original artworks or slides. Send video on standard DVD and music on CD. Label disc with the title of the work. Include a collaborative artists statement of no more than 700 words in which you describe the collaborative process and intent. Include cover sheet with name and title of work(s) submitted, address, email, and phone. Do not put your name on individual pages of the manuscript. Multiple entries require separate reading fees. Include SASE (not required) for list of winners. Winners will be notified by phone or e-mail. Please indicate on the envelope if the submission is poetry or fiction.
http://www.washingtonsquarereview.com/washington_Square_Award.html

2/1/10 WFOP Student Poetry Contest Prize: $50, $30, $20, and publication Fee: none
Jeanie Tomasko
6725 Century Ave.
Middleton, WI 53562
Phone (608) 836-8108 or e-mail jeancarsten@gmail.com with questions. Judge: F.J. Bergmann
Notify:
1 poem: annual poetry contest for students attending public, private or parochial schools or being home-schooled in Wisconsin: JUNIOR DIVISION (grades 6-8) and SENIOR DIVISION (grades 9-12). PRIZES: 1st $50, 2nd $30, 3rd $20; Honorable Mention in each division. Winners from each division will be published in the 2011 Wisconsin Poets' Calendar. A student may enter one original poem. Maximum length: 32 lines , not including the title. Longer poems will be eliminated. E-mail poem attached as a Word .doc to jeancarsten@gmail.com, or submit via postal mail. Se site for rules and sample format.
http://wfop.org/studrule.html

2/1/10 Yeats Society Poetry Competition Prize: $250, $100, and publication Fee: $8 to Yeats Society of NY

National Arts Club
15 Gramercy Park South
New York NY 10003

  Judge:
Notify: March 31
Poems: Poems in English up to 60 lines, not previously published, on any subject may be submitted. Each poem (judged separately) typed on an 81⁄2 x 11-inch sheet without author's name; attach 3x5-inch card with name, address, telephone, e-mail. Entry fee is $8 for the first poem and $7 for each additional. Include self-addressed stamped envelope to receive a copy of the report, like this one. A list of winners is posted on our website around March 31. First prize $250, second prize $100. Winners and honorable mentions receive one-year memberships in the Society and are honored at a literary tea in New York, a Saturday in April or May. Authors retain rights, but grant us the right to publish/broadcast winning entries. These are the complete guidelines; no entry form is necessary.
http://www.yeatssociety.org/contest.html

2/1/10 Phyllis Smart Young Poetry Prize Prizes: $1,000 and publication Fee: $10 to The Madison Review
Poetry Editor
The Madison Review
UW—Madison Department of English
600 N. Park Street
6193 Helen C. White Hall
Madison, Wisconsin 53706
General questions: madisonreview@yahoo.com
(submissions sent by email will not be considered.)
Judge:
Notify: March 15 on site
Poems: Submit group of 3 poems (5 pages each max), include a SASE. Typed, single-spaced; include a cover letter with author's name, address, phone number, and poem titles.
http://www.english.wisc.edu/madisonreview/contests.php

February 5 Deadlines

2/5/10 Strokestown Poetry Prize Prize: €4000 (about £2500, or $4000), €2000, and €1000 Fee: $5 to Strokestown Poetry Festival
Strokestown Poetry Festival Office
Strokestown
County Roscommon
Ireland
director@strokestownpoetry.org Judges: various
Notify: mid-March
Poems: STROKESTOWN poetry Prize offers $4,000, $2,000, $1,000 & 7 of $450 for an unpublished poem of up to 70 lines. Category 1 The Strokestown International Poetry Prize—in English. Also Percy French Prize for humorous verse. sComplicated—see site. Traveling expenses for short-listed poets to read! Postal or e-mail.
http://www.strokestownpoetry.org/

February 9 Deadlines

2/9/10 Hart Crane Memorial Poetry Contest Prize: $100 and publication Fee: none
Dr. Gary Ciuba
Hart Crane Memorial Poetry Contest
ICON, c/o Kent State University—Trumbull
4314 Mahoning Ave., N.W.
Warren, OH 44484
mflynch@kent.edu Judge:
Notify:
2 poems: We accept all forms, themes, styles, and genres of 750 words or less. Submissions must be typed (no handwritten submissions will be considered). Enclose a SASE (disposable submissions preferred).
http://www.trumbull.kent.edu/Arts/icon.cfm

February 15 Deadlines

2/15/10 The Binnacle Ultra-Short Competition Prize: $300, and publication Fee: none
e-mail only
e-mail your submission to ummbinnacle@maine.edu Judge:
Notify: May 15
Poems: We are looking for poetry of sixteen lines or less and prose works of 150 words or less. All submissions should be made via email to ummbinnacle@maine.edu. Please include the work in the body of the email message, if possible. If you would like to send it via attachment, we prefer, .doc, .txt, or .rtf files. A minimum of $300 in cash prizes will be awarded, with a minumum prize of $50. At least one of the prizes will go to a UMM student. Please submit no more than two works total, prose and/or poetry. When you submit your work, please be sure to include your postal address as well as a thirty-five- to fifty-word self-description. There is no submission fee. Awards will be made at the time of publication. Because of the volume of submissions, we are not always able to send notifications to all works that have not made the cut. For the winners and those who will be included in the edition, please keep checking our website. Look especially on the Updates page. The fact that you may not receive a rejection notification is no reflection on the quality of your work. The large majority of what we receive is well worth publishing, and we are thankful for you sharing it with us. N.B. These are published as a really cool little box of cards with the poems on one side and bios on the other.
http://www.umm.maine.edu/ultra-short-competition.html

2/15/10 Gertrude Chapbook Contest Prizes: $50 and 50 copies Fee: $15 to Gertrude Press

Gertrude Press
PO Box 83948
Portland, OR 97283

  Judges:
Notify: July 1
Chapbook Manuscript: Submit 16-20 pages of poetry via surface mail only. Indicate which poems have been previously published and by whom. Unpublished poems are welcome. Poetry may be of any subject matter and writers from all backgrounds are encouraged to submit. Include a cover letter and SASE for notification. For manuscript returns, please include exact postage. Indicate how you learned of the contest in your cover letter. Include a $15 submission fee payable to Gertrude Press. Submission fee includes a copy of the winning chapbook. Submissions accepted beginning September 1, until February 15 (postmark deadline). Gertrude Press is a nonprofit organization showcasing and developing the creative talents of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer-identified, and allied individuals.

http://www.gertrudepress.org/guidelines/chapbook.html


2/15/10 Vivienne Haigh-Wood Prize Prize: $500 and publication Fee:$10 via PayPal
e-mail only
  Judge: Editors
Notify: May 15
Poems: Submit up to three previously unpublished poems for a $10 reading fee. Submissions and payment online only. Winner receives $500 and publication in the Spring issue. Runner-up and eight other finalists will be published in the same issue. All entries will be considered for publication and all entrants will be notified by e-mail on the status of their entries. Send an e-mail to sub2melusine@gmail.com that includes two attached Word documents: One is your short bio with contact information (your primary e-mail address plus either a secondary e-mail address or a phone number.) Notification will not be made by snail-mail, and please do not attempt to pay by snail-mail. Payment is only accepted via PayPal at website. The second document includes your poem or poems, without your name or contact information. Contest entries submitted without fee payment will be considered non-contest submissions. You will receive e-mail notice that your contest entry and payment was received.
http://melusine21cent.com/mag/node/100

2/15/10 Just Desserts Short-short Fiction Prize Prizes: $1,000 and publication Fee: $10 to Passages North

Fiction Contests, Passages North
Northern Michigan University
Gries Hall
1401 Presque Isle Ave.
Marquette, MI 49855

  Judge: Jennifer A. Howard
Notify:
Flash fiction: Maximum 1,000 words. $10 entry fee.

http://myweb.nmu.edu/~passages/contests.html


2/15/10 Memoir (and) Prizes for Memoir in Prose or Poetry  Prizes: $500, $250, $100, and publication Fee: none

Memoir (and)
PO Box 1398
Sausalito, CA 94966-1398

  Judge: editors
Notify:
Poems: Submit online (strongly prefer via submissions manager) or by mail. Do not include identifying information on poems.
http://memoirjournal.squarespace.com/contest-details/

2/15/10 Kathryn Morton Prize in Poetry Prize: $2,000 and publication Fee: $25 to Sarabande Books, Inc.
The Kathryn A. Morton Prize in Poetry
Sarabande Books, Inc.
PO Box 4456
Louisville KY 40204
  Judge: Amy Gerstler
Notify: early July
Book manuscript: Includes a $2,000 cash award, publication of a full-length collection of poetry, and a standard royalty contract. Contest is open to any writer of English who is a U.S. citizen. Individual poems from the manuscript may have been published previously in magazines, chapbooks of less than 48 pages, or anthologies, but the collection as a whole must be unpublished. Translations and previously self-published books are not eligible. Please submit one copy of the manuscript and our required entry form at www.sarabandebooks.org/contest/contest_entry.html. Manuscripts must be: anonymous—the author's name or address cannot appear anywhere on the manuscript (your title page should contain the title only), a minimum of 48 pages of poetry, typed on standard white paper, one side of the page only, paginated consecutively with a table of contents and acknowledgments, machine-copied—no dot-matrix please unless letter quality, bound with a spring clip or placed in a plain file folder. No paper clips please. All manuscripts must be accompanied by our entry form which contains all the necessary identifying information. Do not send your manuscript without this form. Please retain a copy of your manuscript. We cannot return manuscripts. Submission of more that one manuscript is permissible if each manuscript is accompanied by an entry form and handling fee. Once submitted, manuscripts cannot be altered. Winner will be given the opportunity to make changes before publication. Simultaneous submissions to other publishers are permitted, but Sarabande Books must be notified immediately if manuscript is accepted elsewhere. Sarabande Books will consider all finalists for publication. There is a $20 handling fee, check made payable to Sarabande Books, Inc. Manuscripts must be postmarked between and including January 1 and February 15. Include a SASP for notification that manuscript has been received. Include a #10 SASE for contest results. Please send your manuscript in a plain or padded envelope. No boxes please. No Federal Express, Overnight Mail, or UPS. We strongly advise that you send your manuscript first class.

http://www.sarabandebooks.org/?page_id=1099


2/15/10 New Women's Voices Chapbook Competition Prize: $1,000 and publication Fee: $15 to Finishing Line Press
New Women's Voices Chapbook Competition
Finishing Line Press
P.O. Box 1626
Georgetown, KY 40324
(859) 514-8966.
FinishingBooks@aol.com
Judge: Leah Maines
Notify: early July
Chapbook manuscript: A prize of $1,000 and publication will be awarded by Finishing Line Press for a chapbook-length poetry collection written by a woman who has never before published a full-length collection. Previous chapbook publication does not disqualify. All entries will be considered for publication. The top ten finalists will be offered publication. Submit up to 26 pages of poetry, PLUS bio, acknowledgments, SASE, and cover letter. Deadline extended to 2/28.

http://www.finishinglinepress.com/submissionguidelines.htm


2/15/10 Vermont Studio Center Fellowship Competition Prize: residencies/fellowships Fee: $25 to Vermont Studio Center

Vermont Studio Center
80 Pearl Street
Box 613
Johnson, VT, 05656

802-635-2727 Judge:
Notify: within 8 weeks after deadline
10 pages: Full Fellowships, awarded on the basis of merit, enable artists and writers to come to VSC for four weeks at no fee. VSC offers over 50 Full Fellowships a year, which are open to all artists and writers. Applications may be submitted at any time. Applicants who wish to be considered for a Full Fellowship must submit their applications by the Full Fellowship Application Deadlines (2/15, 6/15, 10/1); applications must be received, not postmarked, by the application deadline. The Admissions office suggests that applications be submitted six months prior to the desired Residency start date. To Apply: Fill out the application form and include the following: Portfolio or manuscript, Resume, $25 application fee*, Copy of tax form (for need-based award and aid), References: names, addresses and telephone numbers of three people who know your work. Writers: 2 copies of a manuscript without your name on any of the pages; clip a cover sheet with your name, address and the title of the piece (if applicable) to the manuscript. Manuscript length: Poets: up to 10 pages, all others: 10-15 pages. *For some Restricted Fellowship Awards, the application fee may be waived. The full fee for a 4 week residency is $3,500. Artists and writers who come as Contributing Residents and can pay the full fee to help support VSC and greatly increase the Studio Center's ability to provide Residencies for artists and writers with limited finances. Full Fellowships, awarded on the basis of merit, enable artists and writers to come to VSC for four weeks at no fee. VSC offers Partial Fellowships in grants and work exchange aid that reduces Residency fees
http://www.vermontstudiocenter.org/writers/

February 16 Deadlines

2/16/10 Poetry Center Prizes Prizes: $1,000 and publication Fee: $25 to Cleveland State University

Cleveland State University Poetry Center Prizes
(please specify: First Book or Open Competition) Department of English
2121 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44115-2214

poetrycenter@csuohio.edu

Judge: Rae Armantrout (First Book)
Editorial Committee (Open)

Notify: late December

Book manuscript (First Book or Open Competition): Manuscript should contain 48–100 pages of poetry; pages should be numbered and include a table of contents; include one cover page with manuscript title, your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address; your name should not appear anywhere else on the manuscript; include a second cover page containing manuscript title only; clearly indicate on the outside of the mailing envelope and on each cover page “First Book” or “Open Competition”; do not include a cover letter or biographical information; include an acknowledgements page, listing any previously published books or poems, if applicable. Send multiple submissions in the same envelope, marked “Multiple”; simultaneous submissions acceptable, please inform us if the manuscript is accepted elsewhere. Manuscripts are eligible for the First Book competition if the author has not published or committed to publish a collection of his or her poetry in a book of 48 or more pages with a press run of at least 500 copies; entry to the Open Competition is limited to authors who have published at least one full-length collection of original poetry; intimate friends, relatives, current and former students of the First Book judge (students in an academic, degree-conferring program or its equivalent) are not eligible to enter the First Book contest; manuscripts that have been previously published in their entirety, including self-published manuscripts, are not eligible; translations are not eligible; there are no restrictions on style or content. Reading fee: $25.00 per manuscript, check or money order payable to Cleveland State University; for notification of manuscript receipt, include SASP; for notification of contest results, include SASE; manuscripts are not returned; once submitted, manuscripts cannot be altered; winners will be given the opportunity to make changes prior to publication; the CSU Poetry Center reserves the right to consider all finalists for publication; list of winners, finalists and semi-finalists will be posted on the Poetry Center website.

http://www.csuohio.edu/poetrycenter/contest1.html

2/16/10 National Poetry Series Prize: $1,000 (x5) and publication Fee: $30 to The National Poetry Series
The National Poetry Series,
57 Mountain Avenue,
Princeton, NJ, 08540
  Judge: five distinguished poets
Notify: August
Book manuscript: poetry written by American citizens. All manuscripts must be previously unpublished, although some or all of the individual poems may have appeared in periodicals. Translations, chapbooks, small groups of poems, and books previously self- published are not eligible. Manuscript length is not limited. However, a length of 48-64 pages is suggested. Manuscripts, accompanied by an entrance fee of $30 per manuscript, made payable to The National Poetry Series, will be accepted with a postmark of January 1 through (and including) February 16. Manuscripts must include 2 cover pages: One page should list title of manuscript, author’s name, address, and telephone number. This should be the only page with author’s identification. One page should list title of manuscript only. Manuscripts must be: Typed on standard white paper, on one side of the page only. Paginated (include a table of contents). Bound only by a clip as more permanent bindings are very difficult to handle! DO NOT INCLUDE: Acknowledgments, explanatory statements, resumes, autobiographical statements, photographs, illustrations, or artwork. These will not be considered. We regret that manuscripts cannot be returned. No additions, deletions, or substitutions once a manuscript has been submitted. Finalists will be asked to submit five (5) additional copies of their original submission. Winning authors will be given the opportunity to make final changes prior to publication. Please include SASP for confirmation of receipt. Include a SASE if you would like notification of winners. NB: Lost their original website; old conflict-of-interest warnings on foetry.com.

http://posterband.com/guidelines.html

February 20 Deadlines

2/20/10 Paris Lake Poetry Contest Prize: $250, $100, $50, and publication Fee: $5 to Georgia Highlands College
Georgia Highlands College
Paris Lake Poetry Contest
% ORK Editorial Board
3175 Cedartown Hwy. SE
Rome, GA 30162
  Judge: editors
Notify: late April
Poems: Poetry may be in any style and on any subject; however, maximum length is 45 lines. Entry fee is $5.00 per poem or three poems for $10.00. Payment must accompany the submission. Poems that have been previously published, have received other cash awards, or are under consideration elsewhere are not eligible. All poems must be typed on plain white paper. Author information should be in the upper right hand corner. Entries will not be returned or acknowledged unless accompanied by a SASE. Submissions must be postmarked by February 20, 2010. Make check or money order payable to Georgia Highlands College with “Old Red Kimono poetry contest” on the item line. Submit poetry and check or money order (no cash). All entrants will receive a copy of the 2010 issue of Old Red Kimono. Winners will receive 2 copies and a prize check.
http://www.highlands.edu/ork/Contest.htm

February 26 Deadlines

2/26/10 The Florida Review Editors' Awards Prize: $1,000 and publication Fee: $15 to UCF/Florida Review
The Florida Review Editors' Award (indicate genre)
Department of English MFA Program
PO Box 161346
University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL 32816-1346
  Judge: editors
Notify: summer
Poems: Send one story or essay, or 3–5 poems. $15 reading fee includes a year's subscription. Include a cover letter with contact info and titiles; no identification on manuscript. Simultaneous submissions are okay, but please notify immediately if work is accepted elsewhere. Include a SASE for notification only. Manuscripts will not be returned.
http://flreview.com/

February 27 Deadlines

2/27/10

Robert E. Lee Wilson & Ruth I. Wilson Poetry Book Award Contest

Prizes: $1,000, 100 copies, and publication Fee: $25 to MARGIE, Inc.
Margie
PO Box 250
Chesterfield, MO, 63006-0250

314-863-1499
margiereview@aol.com

Judge: Robert Nazarene
Notify:
Book manuscript: Submit an unpublished book manuscript of between 48 - 64 pages of poetry. If applicable, include an "Acknowledgements Page" where poems first appeared. Simultaneous submissions accepted. Only submit copies as manuscripts will not be returned. Include a $25 entry fee payable to MARGIE, Inc. Include 2 title pages; one with only the title of the manuscript--and the 2nd title page with manuscript title, author's name, address, phone, & email (if possible). Multiple manuscripts may be sent at $25 for each additional manuscript. All manuscripts will be considered for publication. End pages, meaning: Table of Contents, Acknowledgements, Dedication and Notes do NOT count in 48-64 page poetry content. Mail manuscript(s) and entry fee POSTMARKED no later than February 27. Include a Self-Addressed, Stamped Envelope to receive notification of contest results . Include an SASE for contest results.

http://www.margiereview.com/CONTESTS/book10.html

February 28 Deadlines

2/28/10 The American Poetry Journal Book Prize Prizes: $1,000, 20 copies, and publication Fee: $25 to Dream Horse Press LLC

The American Poetry Journal Book Prize
P. O. Box 2080
Aptos, CA 95001-2080

 

Judge: Editor
Notify:
Book manuscript: To enter, submit 50-65 paginated pages of poetry, table of contents, acknowledgments, bio, email address for results, No SASE (manuscripts will be recycled), and a $25 reading fee for each manuscript entered. The winner will receive $1000 and 20 copies. All entries will be considered for publication. Both free and formal verse styles are welcome. Multiple submissions are acceptable. Simultaneous submissions are acceptable, but if your manuscript is accepted for publication elsewhere you must notify The American Poetry Journal and/or Dream Horse Press immediately. Fees are non-refundable. Judging will be anonymous; writers' names should not appear anywhere on the manuscript. Please include your name and biographical information in a separate cover letter. Please be sure to include your email address. Enter online at website. All selections and winners are made by the editor of The American Poetry Journal, J.P. Dancing Bear. Personal Friends, Relatives, and/or Students of the editor are NOT eligible for the contest and their entry fees will be refunded.
http://home.comcast.net/~jpdancingbear/dhpcontests.html

2/28/10 Connecticut River Review Poetry Contest Prizes: $400, $200, $100, and publication    Fee: $15 to Connecticut Poetry Society

CT River Review Poetry Contest
CPS
PO Box 270554
West Hartford, CT 06127-0554

  Judge: James Finnegan
Notify:

Poems: Send up to 3 unpublished poems, any form, 80 line limit. Include two copies of each poem: one with complete contact information and one with NO contact information. Both copies must be marked CRR Contest. Include SASE for results only (no poems will be returned). Winning poems must be submitted by disc or email following notification. Fee $15 for up to 3 poems. Please make out check to Connecticut Poetry Society. Prize poems will be published in Connecticut River Review.

http://ct-poetry-society.org/contests.htm

2/28/10 Fence Modern Poets Series Prize: $1,000 and publication Fee: $25 to Fence Magazine, Inc. 
Fence Modern Poets Series
Fence Books
Science Library 320
University at Albany
1400 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12222
fence@albany.edu Judge: "a poet of renown"
Notify:
Book manuscript: Manuscripts will remain anonymous until a winner is selected. Entry form must accompany each submission. Entry fee of $25 must accompany each submission; make check payable to Fence Magazine, Inc. Fee entitles entrant to a choice of one-year subscription to Fence or a copy of the winning book. Send self-addressed 8 x 10 envelope with postage for 1 lb. if you choose the book. Multiple submissions are acceptable, entered under separate cover, with entry form and entry fee. Please let us know immediately if your manuscript is accepted by another publisher while under our consideration. No revisions to submitted manuscripts will be considered; the winning manuscript may be revised before publication. Translations ineligible. Manuscript Requirements: between 48 and 60 pages, typed, paginated, bound with a removable clip and nothing more, one cover page with title of manuscript only; entry form(on site) will be used for identification. No other cover letter necessary. No acknowledgements page. Enclose SASP for confirmation of receipt of manuscript. Enclose an SASE for notification of winner. Do not enclose SASE for return of manuscript; all manuscripts will be recycled at end of contest term. Foreign submissions: include U.S. postage; IRCs will not be honored. Envelope must be postmarked on or between February 1st and February 28th. No Federal Express or UPS.
http://fence.fenceportal.org/contest/fmps.html

2/28/10 Patricia Goedicke Prize in Poetry Prize: $500 and publication Fee: $15 to CutBank Literary Magazine
The Patricia Goedicke Prize in Poetry
CutBank
English Dept, LA 133
University of Montana
Missoula, MT 59812
  Judge: Noah Eli Gordon
Notify: May 15
Poems: Submissions postmarked earlier than December 1 or later than February 29 will be returned unread (along with payment). Submissions are accepted via postal mail only. Please include SASE for reply and prepare your manuscript according to CutBank's conventional submission guidelines. The contest entry must be noted on the envelope and cover letter. A $13 contest entry fee includes a one-year subscription to CutBank. The entry fee covers the reading of a single submission in a single genre. Prose writers, please send only a single work of no greater than 40 printed pages. Poets my submit up to five poems. Submissions that exceed these guidelines will be returned unread, along with payment. Please submit only once within in a genre, although writers are permitted to submit in multiple genres. Please include a short cover letter that mentions your address, phone number, and email address, as well as the title of your work. Please include the author's name on the manuscript—names will be removed from the pool of submissions that goes before our contest judges. Please submit entry fee by personal or cashier's check. One winner in each genre, as chosen by our guest judges, will receive a $500 award and publication in CutBank. Winners will be required to complete a W-9 form to receive payment. All manuscripts are considered for publication in CutBank. All rights to selected manuscripts revert to the author upon publication. The author grants their permission to have their work electronically archived. Current University of Montana students and faculty and former CutBank staff are not eligible for the awards.

http://www.cutbankonline.org/cutbank_test/contests/


2/28/10 The Greg Grummer Poetry Award Contest Prizes: $1,000 and publication  Fee: $15 to Phoebe/GMU

Greg Grummer Poetry Contest
Phoebe MSN 2D6
George Mason University
4400 University Drive
Fairfax VA 22030

  Judge: Rae Armantrout
Notify: April
Poems: Contest entries may include up to four poems (not to exceed a total of ten pages). Please include a cover letter with your name, address and the titles of the poems submitted. Your name and address should not appear anywhere on the poems. Please enclose the $15 entry fee (check or money order payable to Phoebe/GMU—do not send cash), a SASE for contest results, and a brief biography. Manuscripts will not be returned. All writers submitting to the contest will receive the winners issue.

http://phoebejournal.com/?page_id=9


2/28/10 Donald Hall Prize in Poetry Prize: $4,000 and publication Fee: $25 to AWP
AWP Award Series in Poetry
The Association of Writers & Writing Programs
Carty House, Mail Stop 1E3
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA 22030-4444
awp@gmu.edu Poetry Judge: Alberto Rios
Notify: September

Book manuscript: poetry—48 pages minimum text. Original works in English. No mixed-genre manuscripts can be accepted. Manuscripts must be typed and double-spaced on good quality paper, 81/2 x 11 inches. Poetry manuscripts may be single-spaced. Photocopies or copies from letter-quality printers are acceptable, but dot matrix is not acceptable. Manuscripts should not be bound or in a folder; they must be binder-clipped or rubber-banded together. Each manuscript must Each manuscript must include:
1. The official AWP Award Series entry form, which includes spaces for your name, manuscript title, contact information, and an agreement to the terms of the Award Series. Please download this form from our website, enter all the information, and attach it to the manuscript as the cover page.
2. A title page with the manuscript title only. The entry form will be removed so that each submission can be read anonymously. If the author's name appears anywhere except the entry form, the manuscript will be disqualified. Do not send acknowledgement of previous publications or a biographical note.

www.awpwriter.org/contests/series.htm

2/15/10 New Women's Voices Chapbook Competition Prize: $1,000 and publication Fee: $15 to Finishing Line Press
New Women's Voices Chapbook Competition
Finishing Line Press
P.O. Box 1626
Georgetown, KY 40324
(859) 514-8966.
FinishingBooks@aol.com
Judge: Leah Maines
Notify: early July
Chapbook manuscript: A prize of $1,000 and publication will be awarded by Finishing Line Press for a chapbook-length poetry collection written by a woman who has never before published a full-length collection. Previous chapbook publication does not disqualify. All entries will be considered for publication. The top ten finalists will be offered publication. Submit up to 26 pages of poetry, PLUS bio, acknowledgments, SASE, and cover letter. Deadline extended to 2/28.

http://www.finishinglinepress.com/submissionguidelines.htm


2/28/10 Snowbound Series Competition Prize: $1,000, 50 copies, and publication Fee: $20 to Tupelo Press, Inc. 
Snowbound Chapbook Award
Tupelo Press
P.O. Box 1767
North Adams, MA 01247

802-366-8185
Fax: 802-362-1883
publisher@tupelopress.org

Judge: Patricia Fargnoli
Notify: late spring

Chapbook manuscript: Manuscripts are judged blind. All finalists will be considered for publication. Open to anyone writing in the English language. Previously published poems with proper acknowledgement are acceptable. Manuscript: 20 to 30 pages (no more than one poem per page). Printed on good quality white paper, paginated consecutively. Include a table of contents and an acknowledgments page, if appropriate. Bound with a clip. Two cover pages: one with title of the manuscript only, the other with title of manuscript, name, address, telephone number and email address. Your name must not appear elsewhere on the manuscript. Retain a copy for your records. A reading fee of $20 must accompany each submission, payable to Tupelo Press, Inc. May enter online; see site. An SASP may be included to confirm receipt. Multiple submissions are permitted when accompanied by separate entry fees. All submissions must be sent through the U.S. Postal Service; do not send submissions using UPS or FedEx. If submitting a manuscript to multiple publishers, you must notify Tupelo Press if the manuscript is accepted elsewhere. The work as a whole must be unpublished. Individual poems, chapters or excerpts may have been published in magazines, journals or anthologies. Translations and previously self-published books are not eligible. Do not attach your manuscript to any unsolicited email. No attachments will be read; they will be deleted automatically. Enclose a SASE for competition winner notification; please do not call Tupelo Press. A list of all finalists will be published on the Tupelo Press website. Do not enclose a SASE for return of manuscript; all manuscripts will be recycled at the conclusion of the competition, except for those under consideration for future publication.

https://www.tupelopress.org/snow.shtml

2/28/10 Summer Literary Seminars Contests Prizes: scholarships Fee: $15 to Summer Literary Seminars, Inc.

Summer Literary Seminars
Literary Contest
English Department
Concordia University
1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W.
Montreal, Quebec H3G 1M8 Canada

Do not hesitate to contact SLS with any questions, by e-mail: sls@sumlitsem.org, or mike@sumlitsem.org, or by telephone: (514) 848-2424x4632.

Judge: Mary Jo Bang
Notify: spring
Poems: held in affiliation with Fence magazine. The authors of the winning poem and prose entries will receive airfare, accommodations, and a full tuition waiver to the Summer Literary Seminars program in Canada, Lithuania, or Kenya, AND publication of the winning entry in Fence. Second place receives a full tuition waiver, and third place receives a 50% tuition scholarship. Other hand-picked finalists will be offered tuition scholarships as well. The complete guidelines are as follows: One essay, story or novel/memoir excerpt, maximum 25 pages per entry. No more than three poems per entry. Only previously unpublished work can be submitted. Include a $15 reading fee for each entry. This fee should be in US Dollars. Multiple entries are permissible as long as separate reading fees are included. Checks should be made out to Summer Literary Seminars, Inc. Include your complete contact information (address, telephone, email address) on the manuscript. Entries are not judged blind. All entrants will be notified of the winners in the fall by email. Do NOT include a SASE. Cover letters are not required. Previous First Place winners may not re-enter. Entries can be submitted electronically.
http://www.sumlitsem.org/slscontest.html

2/28/10 Tiger's Eye Poetry Contest Prize: $500, $100, $50, and publication Fee: $10 to Tiger' Eye
Tiger's Eye
P.O. Box 2935
Eugene, OR 97402
tigerseyepoet@yahoo.com Judge: Cheryl Loetscher
Notify: mid-spring
Poems: Send up to three poems, no limit on length, subject, or form, along with a short bio, SASE and $10. We accept simultaneous submissions, but insist on original, unpublished works. Please note contest deadline as February 28th, 2008. To work well with Poet's Market's publication date and our own deadlines, we chose this later date. Anything mailed now will be held until then. We always use independent judges.

http://www.tigerseyejournal.com/


2/28/10 Utmost Christian Poetry Contest Prize: $1,000, $600, (10x)$100, + more, and publication Fee: $20 per poem to Utmost Christian Writers

Utmost Christian Writers Poetry Contest
121 Morin Maze,
Edmonton, Alberta,
Canada T6K 1V1

  Judge: committee
Notify: April 11
Poems: This contest is open only to Christians. Poems may be rhymed or free verse, up to sixty (60) lines, but must not have been published previously or have won any prize in any previous competition of any kind. Poems must not be simultaneously entered in any other contest, nor simultaneously offered elsewhere for publication of any kind. Poems will be judged by an independent committee of poets under the administration of Utmost Christian Writers Foundation director, Barbara Mitchell. Use entry form. No e-mail entries.

http://www.utmostchristianwriters.com/poetry-contests.php


2/28/10

Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing Fellowships Prize: $27,000 and an academic year in residence Fee: $45 to the Department of English
Ron Kuka
The Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing
Department of English
6195B Helen C. White Hall
600 N. Park St.
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Madison, WI 53706
institutemail@english.wisc.edu Judge:
Notify: May 1
10 pages: The Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing provides $25,000 fellowships for writers who have completed an MFA degree in creative writing but have not yet published a book. The Institute provides time, space, and an intellectual community for three fiction writers and three poets annually who are invited to spend one academic year in residence (August 15—May 15), teaching one creative writing course each semester, and giving one public reading from work in progress. Fiction writers and poets who will have completed their graduate degrees prior to residency may submit up to 10 pages of poetry or one story of up to 30 pages directly to the program in the month of February. An applicant's name must not appear on the writing sample, but rather on a separate sheet along with address, social security number, phone number, e-mail address, and title(s) of submission(s). Candidates should also supply the names and phone numbers of two recommenders. There is no application fee, but please enclose an SASE for notification. Do not have your application arrive before February 1st. (We will accept applications postmarked by the last day of February even if they arrive later.) Fellows will be notified of their selection by May 1. Applications must include a résumé or vita, the names and phone numbers of two recommenders, a writing sample consisting of either ten pages of poetry (single-spaced, stapled) or one story or novel excerpt of up to thirty pages in length (double-spaced, and stapled- no tearsheets or off-prints), and a manuscript cover sheet including the applicant's name, address, e-mail, telephone, social security number, and titles of work submitted. The applicant's name must not appear on any page of the manuscript except the cover sheet. Letters of recommendation may arrive under a separate cover, but must be received in February. Materials will not be returned. Please include a business sized SASE for results.
http://creativewriting.wisc.edu/fellowships/poetryfiction.html

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